Apparatus and methods for producing data structures having internal self-references suitable for immutably representing and verifying data
Inventors
Beaudoin, Valérie • Grano, Evin T. • O'Meara, Patrick D. • Shotton, Jr., Charles T.
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-12231566-B2
Publication Date
2025-02-18
Expiration Date
Abstract
Some embodiments described herein relate to a computer implemented method that includes performing a first work step associated with a first activity and with a first data product and performing a second work step associated with a second activity and associated with a second data product. A first chain of trust between the first work step and the second work step can be defined by defining a second manifest document that is associated with the second data product and that references a first manifest document associated with the first data product. An immutable data structure representing a second chain of trust independent of the first chain of trust can be defined by submitting the first manifest document and the second manifest document to a distributed ledger for validation.
Core Innovation
The patent describes representing complex, multi-activity transactions as cryptographically secured manifest documents and encrypted archives. A manifest document includes references to data products stored in non-blockchain databases and includes fingerprints of the data products, using the fingerprints to create verifiable relationships between work steps, activities, and the referenced data products.
A chain of trust is formed by creating manifest documents that include fingerprints and internal references to prior manifest documents and to data products. The manifest documents include a reference to a prior manifest document and fingerprints of the referenced manifest documents, so that the identification of the prior manifest document defines a chain of trust between work steps and activities, with internal self-references and fingerprinting supporting integrity verification and continuity of references.
The patent further describes committing a manifest document, including linked manifest references, to a distributed ledger for immutable validation while supporting off-ledger storage for resiliency and reconstruction. It also describes submitting encrypted archives containing the manifest to distributed ledger instances and storing additional data off-ledger in non-distributed data repositories, with reconstructing, verifying, and replaying or simulating activities by retrieving a latest ledger-stored archive, decrypting archives via keys, walking the manifest reference chain, and verifying integrity via fingerprints.
Claims Coverage
The provided independent claims cover an apparatus and processor-readable media that define manifest documents for activities using fingerprints, link manifest documents into chains of trust via references to prior manifests and data products, and commit or submit immutable validation artifacts to a distributed ledger while referencing off-ledger data products in non-blockchain databases.
Activity-linked manifest documents with fingerprints and internal references to non-blockchain data products
An apparatus where, upon receiving an indication of an activity associated with a third data product, it defines a third manifest document that includes the fingerprint of a first manifest document, a reference to a second manifest document, the fingerprint of the second manifest document, and a reference to the third data product, and commits the third manifest document to the distributed ledger, with the first and second manifest documents including references to data products stored in non-blockchain databases and fingerprints of those data products.
Time-associated manifest documents for verifying unchanged data products and submitting to a distributed ledger for validation
A non-transitory processor readable medium where code causes a processor to define a second manifest document associated with a first activity and a second time, the second manifest document including a fingerprint of a first data product configured to verify that the first data product has not been altered; define a third manifest document associated with a second activity and a third time after the second time, the third manifest document including a reference to a second data product and a fingerprint of a first manifest document associated with a first time before the second time; and submit the third manifest document to a distributed ledger for validation.
Manifest-linked chain of trust with an immutable data structure representing a chain of trust independent of a prior chain of trust
A non-transitory processor readable medium where code causes a processor to perform a first work step associated with a first activity and a first data product; define a first manifest document comprising a fingerprint of the first data product such that the first manifest document uniquely identifies the first data product; perform a second work step associated with a second activity and a second data product; define a second manifest document comprising a fingerprint of the second data product and a fingerprint of the first manifest document such that the second manifest document uniquely identifies the second data product and the first manifest document, the second manifest document's unique identification of the first manifest document defining a first chain of trust between the first work step and the second work step; and define an immutable data structure representing a second chain of trust independent of the first chain of trust by submitting the first manifest document and the second manifest document to a distributed ledger for validation.
Across the independent claims, the central inventive coverage is the use of manifest documents containing fingerprints and references to prior manifests and data products to form chains of trust tied to work steps and activities, coupled with submission or commitment to a distributed ledger for validation while maintaining references to data products stored outside the blockchain as non-blockchain databases.
Stated Advantages
Immutable validation via a distributed ledger.
Integrity verification of data products using fingerprints to verify that data products have not been altered.
Continuity of references and verifiable chain of trust via internal references between manifest documents.
Creation of an immutable data structure representing a chain of trust independent of a prior chain of trust.
Documented Applications
Audit/compliance views by reconstructing and replaying or simulating activities using retrieved encrypted archives and walking the manifest reference chain.
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